Chronic pain is a complex condition shaped by long-standing alterations in both physiological and psychological processes. Rather than representing a simple continuation of acute nociceptive signaling, chronic pain is increasingly understood as the outcome of progressive dysregulation within distributed neural systems that govern sensation, affect, motivation, and cognitive control. Neuroimaging and electrophysiological studies indicate that this state is accompanied by extensive plastic changes in deep brain structures and large-scale networks. Beyond well-described central sensitization processes, chronic pain is characterized by disrupted oscillatory rhythms and altered connectivity within large-scale brain networks, including thalamo-cortical circuits and prefrontal-limbic-reward networks. These findings support a conceptual shift from viewing chronic pain as a focal, lesion-driven phenomenon toward recognizing it as a disorder of distributed network pathology. Pharmacological treatments remain central to clinical practice, yet their long-term efficacy is often limited and frequently accompanied by substantial side effects. The ongoing concerns about opioid-related risks and the inadequate therapeutic response in a subset of patients highlight the need for safe, non-pharmacological approaches that can address not only pain but also comorbid disturbances in mood, sleep, and social functioning. Neuromodulation provides a promising path toward mechanism-based and non-pharmacological management of chronic pain by employing physical or chemical stimulation to alter the excitability and synchrony of specific neural populations within central, peripheral, and autonomic systems. While invasive deep brain stimulation demonstrates that targeting deep brain structures can be effective, its clinical application is restricted by surgical risks and cost, highlighting the importance of non-invasive techniques capable of reaching deep targets. Current non-invasive approaches, such as transcranial electric stimulation, are constrained by limited penetration depth and insufficient spatial precision. These limitations hinder reliable engagement of deep regions implicated in pain, including the thalamus and nucleus accumbens, and tend to produce broad, non-specific modulation of cross-network oscillatory activity. Temporal interference (TI) stimulation has emerged as a means of overcoming these obstacles. By delivering interacting high-frequency currents that generate a low-frequency envelope within the head, TI enables focal stimulation of deep targets while minimizing superficial current delivery. Recent multiscale modeling and animal studies indicate that TI exploits the nonlinear rectification properties of neuronal membranes in response to high-frequency carriers, as well as their phase-locked responses to low-frequency envelopes, to generate “peak-focused” electric fields in deep regions under relatively low superficial current loads. Moreover, TI appears to exhibit potential advantages in terms of cell-type selectivity and rhythm-specific engagement, including differential responses across neuronal subtypes and distinct coupling to θ-, β-, and γ-band oscillations. These features suggest a promising avenue for correcting abnormal rhythms and network dynamics that contribute to chronic pain. This review summarizes current knowledge of the neural mechanisms underlying chronic pain and recent advances in TI research. It examines functional disturbances across key pain-related regions and networks, outlines the principles and technical characteristics of TI, and discusses potential deep-brain targets and stimulation strategies relevant to chronic pain. Evidence to date indicates that TI, with its non-invasiveness, tolerability, and capacity for precise deep brain modulation, holds great promise for the management of treatment-resistant chronic pain and may evolve into a new generation of precise and efficient non-pharmacological analgesic strategies.

Chronic pain is a complex condition shaped by long-standing alterations in both physiological and psychological processes. Rather than representing a simple continuation of acute nociceptive signaling, chronic pain is increasingly understood as the outcome of progressive dysregulation within distributed neural systems that govern sensation, affect, motivation, and cognitive control. Neuroimaging and electrophysiological studies indicate that this state is accompanied by extensive plastic changes in deep brain structures and large-scale networks. Beyond well-described central sensitization processes, chronic pain is characterized by disrupted oscillatory rhythms and altered connectivity within large-scale brain networks, including thalamo-cortical circuits and prefrontal-limbic-reward networks. These findings support a conceptual shift from viewing chronic pain as a focal, lesion-driven phenomenon toward recognizing it as a disorder of distributed network pathology. Pharmacological treatments remain central to clinical practice, yet their long-term efficacy is often limited and frequently accompanied by substantial side effects. The ongoing concerns about opioid-related risks and the inadequate therapeutic response in a subset of patients highlight the need for safe, non-pharmacological approaches that can address not only pain but also comorbid disturbances in mood, sleep, and social functioning. Neuromodulation provides a promising path toward mechanism-based and non-pharmacological management of chronic pain by employing physical or chemical stimulation to alter the excitability and synchrony of specific neural populations within central, peripheral, and autonomic systems. While invasive deep brain stimulation demonstrates that targeting deep brain structures can be effective, its clinical application is restricted by surgical risks and cost, highlighting the importance of non-invasive techniques capable of reaching deep targets. Current non-invasive approaches, such as transcranial electric stimulation, are constrained by limited penetration depth and insufficient spatial precision. These limitations hinder reliable engagement of deep regions implicated in pain, including the thalamus and nucleus accumbens, and tend to produce broad, non-specific modulation of cross-network oscillatory activity. Temporal interference (TI) stimulation has emerged as a means of overcoming these obstacles. By delivering interacting high-frequency currents that generate a low-frequency envelope within the head, TI enables focal stimulation of deep targets while minimizing superficial current delivery. Recent multiscale modeling and animal studies indicate that TI exploits the nonlinear rectification properties of neuronal membranes in response to high-frequency carriers, as well as their phase-locked responses to low-frequency envelopes, to generate “peak-focused” electric fields in deep regions under relatively low superficial current loads. Moreover, TI appears to exhibit potential advantages in terms of cell-type selectivity and rhythm-specific engagement, including differential responses across neuronal subtypes and distinct coupling to θ-, β-, and γ-band oscillations. These features suggest a promising avenue for correcting abnormal rhythms and network dynamics that contribute to chronic pain. This review summarizes current knowledge of the neural mechanisms underlying chronic pain and recent advances in TI research. It examines functional disturbances across key pain-related regions and networks, outlines the principles and technical characteristics of TI, and discusses potential deep-brain targets and stimulation strategies relevant to chronic pain. Evidence to date indicates that TI, with its non-invasiveness, tolerability, and capacity for precise deep brain modulation, holds great promise for the management of treatment-resistant chronic pain and may evolve into a new generation of precise and efficient non-pharmacological analgesic strategies.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major global health issue, with glycated hemoglobin levels serving as the gold standard for evaluating glucose level control in DM patients. However, it has limitations in reflecting glucose oscillations (i.e. glycemic variability, GV). Increasing evidence suggests that GV is closely related to the progression of diabetes complications and patient prognosis. As people realize the importance of avoiding hypoglycemia while achieving target glycated hemoglobin levels in treatment, the clinical significance of GV becomes more obvious. This article systematically reviewed the concept and connotation of GV, summarized the latest research on its role in the complications of diabetes, and revealed the biochemical and pathophysiological abnormalities caused by excessive glycemic oscillation, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the risk warning and early intervention of DM patients.
Humans ; Blood Glucose/metabolism* ; Diabetes Complications/physiopathology* ; Glycated Hemoglobin/metabolism* ; Hypoglycemia ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/complications*

This study aims to explore the medication rules and mechanisms of treating chronic renal failure(CRF) by Jinling medical school based on data mining, network pharmacology, and experimental validation systematically and deeply. Firstly, the study selected the papers published by the inherited clinicians in Jinling medical school in Chinese journals using the subject headings named "traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) + chronic renal failure", "TCM + chronic renal inefficiency", or "TCM + consumptive disease" in China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database and screened TCM formulas for treating CRF according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. The study analyzed the frequency of use of single TCM and the four properties, five tastes, channel tropism, and efficacy of TCM used with high frequency and performed association rule and clustering analysis, respectively. As a result, a total of 215 TCM formulas and 235 different single TCM were screened, respectively. The TCM used with high frequency included Astragali Radix, Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Poria, and Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma(top 5). The single TCM characterized by "cold properties, sweet flavor, and restoring spleen channel" and the TCM with the efficacy of tonifying deficiency had the highest frequency of use, respectively. Then, the TCM with the rules of "blood-activating and stasis-removing" and "diuretic and dampness-penetrating" appeared. In addition, the core combination of TCM [(Hexin Formula, HXF)] included "Astragali Radix, Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, Poria, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix, and Angelicae Sinensis Radix". The network pharmacology analysis showed that HXF had 91 active compounds and 250 corresponding protein targets including prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2(PTGS2), PTGS1, sodium voltage-gated channel alpha subunit 5(SCN5A), cholinergic receptor muscarinic 1(CHRM1), and heat shock protein 90 alpha family class A member 1(HSP90AA1)(top 5). Gene Ontology(GO) function analysis revealed that the core targets of HXF predominantly affected biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions such as positive regulation of transcription by ribonucleic acid polymerase Ⅱ and DNA template transcription, formation of cytosol, nucleus, and plasma membrane, and identical protein binding and enzyme binding. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) analysis revealed that CRF-related genes were involved in a variety of signaling pathways and cellular metabolic pathways, primarily involving "phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)-protein kinase B(Akt) pathway" and "advanced glycation end products-receptor for advanced glycation end products". Molecular docking results showed that the active components in HXF such as isomucronulatol 7-O-glucoside, betulinic acid, sitosterol, and przewaquinone B might be crucial in the treatment of CRF. Finally, a modified rat model with renal failure induced by adenine was used, and the in vivo experimental confirmation was performed based on the above-mentioned predictions. The results verify that HXF can regulate mitochondrial autophagy in the kidneys and the PI3K-Akt-mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR) signaling pathway activation at upstream, so as to alleviate renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis and then delay the progression of CRF.
Data Mining ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Network Pharmacology ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic/metabolism* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; China

This study aims to explore the mechanism of lung and gut protection by Tanreqing Capsules on the mice infected with influenza virus based on "the lung-gut axis". A total of 110 C57BL/6J mice were randomized into control group, model group, oseltamivir group, and low-and high-dose Tanreqing Capsules groups. Ten mice in each group underwent body weight protection experiments, and the remaining 12 mice underwent experiments for mechanism exploration. Mice were infected with influenza virus A/Puerto Rico/08/1934(PR8) via nasal inhalation for the modeling. The lung tissue was collected on day 3 after gavage, and the lung tissue, colon tissue, and feces were collected on day 7 after gavage for subsequent testing. The results showed that Tanreqing Capsules alleviated the body weight reduction and increased the survival rate caused by PR8 infection. Compared with model group, Tanreqing Capsules can alleviate the lung injury by reducing the lung index, alleviating inflammation and edema in the lung tissue, down-regulating viral gene expression at the late stage of infection, reducing the percentage of neutrophils, and increasing the percentage of T cells. Tanreqing Capsules relieved the gut injury by restoring the colon length, increasing intestinal lumen mucin secretion, alleviating intestinal inflammation, and reducing goblet cell destruction. The gut microbiota analysis showed that Tanreqing Capsules increased species diversity compared with model group. At the phylum level, Tanreqing Capsules significantly increased the abundance of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, while reducing the abundance of Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria to maintain gut microbiota balance. At the genus level, Tanreqing Capsules significantly increased the abundance of unclassified＿f＿Lachnospiraceae while reducing the abundance of Bacteroides, Eubacterium, and Phocaeicola to maintain gut microbiota balance. In conclusion, Tanreqing Capsules can alleviate mouse lung and gut injury caused by influenza virus infection and restore the balance of gut microbiota. Treating influenza from the lung and gut can provide new ideas for clinical practice.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Mice ; Lung/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Capsules ; Orthomyxoviridae Infections/virology* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Male ; Humans ; Female ; Influenza A virus/physiology* ; Influenza, Human/virology*

As a high-quality moxibustion material, Artemisia stolonifera has high economic value and research prospects. However, due to difficulties in seed germination, its wild germplasm resources are sparsely distributed in China. This study used young stem segments grown in the current year to investigate the effects of explant sterilization, different combinations and concentrations of plant growth regulators on the proliferation and rooting of adventitious shoots, with the aim of constructing an in vitro rapid propagation technology system for A. stolonifera. The results showed that the lowest contamination rate of 25.83% was achieved when sterilizing the stem segments by rinsing with running water for 30 min, soaking in 75% ethanol for 30 s, followed by a 5 min treatment with 0.1% HgCl_2, 10 min with 8% NaClO, and 10 min with 0.6% phytosaniline. There was no browning of the stem segments, and surface sterilization of the A. stolonifera stem segments was successfully achieved. In the induction culture phase, when the concentration of kinetin(KT) was 0.05 mg·L~(-1) and 6-benzylaminopurine(6-BA) was 0.05 mg·L~(-1), the adventitious shoot proliferation coefficient was 2.02, effectively promoting the proliferation and growth of A. stolonifera. In the rooting culture phase, 0.1 mg·L~(-1) 1-naphthaleneacetic acid(NAA) effectively induced A. stolonifera test-tube seedlings to root within a short period, achieving a rooting rate of 100%. The addition of a small amount of activated charcoal also promoted rooting and strengthened seedling growth. The survival rate of A. stolonifera seedlings transplanted into a substrate consisting of 90% nutrient soil and 10% perlite was 100%. This study established an efficient in vitro rapid propagation system for A. stolonifera, overcoming difficulties with seed germination, shortening the breeding cycle, and reducing production and planting costs. It provides technical support for the introduction, domestication, seedling propagation, germplasm conservation, and industrial development of A. stolonifera.
Artemisia/drug effects* ; Tissue Culture Techniques/methods* ; Plant Growth Regulators/pharmacology* ; Plant Stems/drug effects* ; Plant Shoots/drug effects*

Cervical spine health issues not only seriously affect patients' quality of life but also impose a heavy burden on the social healthcare system. Existing guidelines lack sufficient clinical guidance on lifestyle and work habits, such as exercise, posture, daily routine, and diet, making it difficult to meet practical needs. To address this, relying on the China Association of Chinese Medicine, Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences took the lead and joined hands with more than ten institutions to form a multidisciplinary guideline development group. For the first time, the group developed the Guidelines for Cervical Spine Health Intervention based on evidence-based medicine methods, strictly following the standardized procedures outlined in the World Health Organization Handbook for Guideline Development and the Guiding Principles for the Formulation/Revision of Clinical Practice Guidelines in China (2022 Edition). This proposal systematically explains the methods and steps for developing the guideline, aiming to make the guideline development process scientific, standardized, and transparent.
Humans ; Practice Guidelines as Topic/standards* ; Cervical Vertebrae ; China

OBJECTIVES: To explore the application of the colloidal gold method and chemiluminescence method in detecting gonadotropin (Gn) in morning urine for assessing pubertal development status in children. METHODS: A total of 132 children diagnosed with central precocious puberty (CPP), early and fast puberty (EFP), and premature thelarche (PT) at Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from November 2021 to December 2022 were included, along with 685 healthy children who underwent routine health examinations at the hospital's pediatric health care department during the same period. All 132 patients underwent a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test. Both patients and healthy children had their urinary Gn levels measured using the colloidal gold method and chemiluminescence method, including levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). The correlation between serum Gn and urinary Gn detected by the two methods, as well as the correlation between Tanner stages of healthy children and urinary Gn, was analyzed. RESULTS: Urine Gn levels detected by both the colloidal gold method and chemiluminescence method showed a positive correlation with serum LH baseline values, LH peak values, baseline LH/FSH ratios, and peak LH/FSH ratios (P<0.05). In healthy children, urinary LH levels detected by the chemiluminescence method gradually increased from Tanner stage Ⅰ to Ⅳ (P<0.05), while urinary FSH levels were lower in Tanner stage I than in stages Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and IV (P<0.05). Urinary LH levels detected by the colloidal gold method were lower in Tanner stage I compared to stages Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and IV, with the highest levels observed in Tanner stage Ⅳ (P<0.05). Additionally, urinary FSH levels in Tanner stage Ⅲ were higher than in stages Ⅰ and Ⅱ (P<0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for evaluating Tanner stages I and II in healthy children using urinary LH and FSH levels by the chemiluminescence method and urinary LH levels by the colloidal gold method were 0.730, 0.699, and 0.783, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The colloidal gold method and chemiluminescence method for detecting Gn in morning urine show good correlation with serum Gn levels. As a non-invasive and convenient detection method, the colloidal gold method can serve as a useful tool for screening the onset of pubertal development in children.
Humans ; Child ; Male ; Female ; Gold Colloid ; Luminescent Measurements/methods* ; Gonadotropins/urine* ; Puberty ; Luteinizing Hormone/urine* ; Child, Preschool ; Adolescent ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone/urine*

OBJECTIVE: To study the efficacy and prognosis of patients with myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms (MDS/MPN) treated with hypomethylating agents (HMA), and to analyze the factors that may affect their efficacy and prognosis, in order to provide a clinical basis for the choice of treatment options for patients with MDS/MPN. METHODS: 35 patients with newly diagnosed MDS/MPN who received hypomethylating therapy from January 2018 to April 2024 in the Department of Hematology of Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University were included. The patients were divided into decitabine group (15 cases) and azacitidine group (20 cases) according to the treatment regimen. The efficacy, median overall survival (OS), and median progression-free survival (PFS) of the patients after HMA treatment were evaluated. The differences in efficacy and survival between the two groups were compared, and factors affecting efficacy and prognosis of MDS/MPN patients were analyzed. RESULTS: The overall response rate (ORR) of the 35 MDS/MPN patients treated with HMA was 51.4%. The ORR was 73.3% in decitabine group and 35.0% in azacitidine group, with a statistically significant difference (P =0.041). Survival analysis showed that the median OS was 12 months and the median PFS was 10 months in the entire cohort of the patients. There was no difference in median OS between decitabine group and azacitidine group. The median PFS in decitabine group was 12 months, higher than that in azacitidine group (7 months), but the difference was not statistically significant (P =0.505). Multivariate analysis showed that the treatment regimen and platelet count were independent influencing factors for the efficacy of HAM treatment; The course and therapeutic efficacy of HMA treatment were independent influencing factors for OS in MDS/MPN patients. The main adverse reactions of HMA treatment were myelosuppression and pulmonary infection. Gastrointestinal reactions were more likely to occur in the azacitidine group than in the decitabine group, and the difference was statistically significant (P =0.027). CONCLUSION HMA treatment is effective and well-tolerated in some MDS/MPN patients. Decitabine shows superior efficacy compared with azacitidine and is less likely to cause gastrointestinal reactions. Patients who received ≥4 courses of HMAs and responded to hypomethylating therapy had longer OS.
Humans ; Prognosis ; Decitabine/therapeutic use* ; Azacitidine/therapeutic use* ; Male ; Female ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes/drug therapy* ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic-Myeloproliferative Diseases/drug therapy* ; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic/therapeutic use* ; Treatment Outcome ; Aged ; Myeloproliferative Disorders/drug therapy* ; Adult ; DNA Methylation

OBJECTIVE: To explore the neuroprotective effects of Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction (XFZYD) based on in vivo and metabolomics experiments. METHODS: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) was induced via a controlled cortical impact (CCI) method. Thirty rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (10 for each): sham, CCI and XFZYD groups (9 g/kg). The administration was performed by intragastric administration for 3 days. Neurological functions tests, histology staining, coagulation and haemorheology assays, and Western blot were examined. Untargeted metabolomics was employed to identify metabolites. The key metabolite was validated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: XFZYD significantly alleviated neurological dysfunction in CCI model rats (P<0.01) but had no impact on coagulation function. As evidenced by Evans blue and IgG staining, XFZYD effectively prevented blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption (P<0.05, P<0.01). Moreover, XFZYD not only increased the expression of collagen IV, occludin and zona occludens 1 but also decreased matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), which protected BBB integrity (all P<0.05). Nine potential metabolites were identified, and all of them were reversed by XFZYD. Adenosine was the most significantly altered metabolite related to BBB repair. XFZYD significantly reduced the level of equilibrative nucleoside transporter 2 (ENT2) and increased adenosine (P<0.01), which may improve BBB integrity. CONCLUSIONS XFZYD ameliorates BBB disruption after TBI by decreasing the levels of MMP-9 and COX-2. Through further exploration via metabolomics, we found that XFZYD may exert a protective effect on BBB by regulating adenosine metabolism via ENT2.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Blood-Brain Barrier/metabolism* ; Brain Injuries, Traumatic/metabolism* ; Adenosine/metabolism* ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats